Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj while presiding over the Cabinet Sub-Committee meeting directed the Education Department to prepare 'Vidyarthi Credit Card Scheme' for affordable and simplified Education loan to eligible students.Education Minister said that the Vision Document of the State Government is based on general public opinion to meet the aspirations of people of Himachal Pradesh and directed the departments to ensure effective implementation of it.A proposal for amendments in Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions (Regulation) Act 1997 was made in the meeting.Suresh Bhardwaj said that the Government is modernising the present education system in the State by providing IT facilities at school and college level. As many as 114 colleges out of 137 colleges have been provided with Wi-Fi facility. To provide Wi-Fi facility in 137 colleges a provision of Rs. 27.77 lakh and provision of Rs. 372.47 lakh for Wi-Fi facility in 1837 Government Senior Secondary School has been made.
He said that 905 meritorious students have been provided with laptop and 1 GB monthly internet data in the year 2018. To provide coaching for competitive exams in Government Senior Secondary Schools, 72 candidates of Graduation level, 200 candidates of Science subject of 12th Standard and 26 candidates of Commerce subject of 10+2 have been selected. IRDP scholarship and relief in tuition fee was being provided upto graduation level to eligible girls of BPL families. The committee directed to start yoga, chess and music classes in government schools. NCC activities were functional in 60 colleges and 315 schools of the state.The Committee also reviewed the work of Language, Art and Culture and directed the authorities to prepare policy for conservation of dialects which were on verge of extinction such as Baghati, Handuri, Kulluvi, Kinnauri, Pangvalli, Sirmauri and Spiti and to open cultural centres to preserve Kangri, Gaddi, Tibetan and Pahari cultures.Industries Minister Bikram Singh, Forest Minister Govind Singh, ACS LAC R.D.Dhiman, Secretary GAD Devesh Kumar, Secretary Education Rajiv Sharma, Special Secretary Finance D.D. Sharma, Director Higher Education Dr. Amarjeet K Sharma, Director Elementary Education Rohit Jamwal and other senior officers were also present in the meeting.